Cranberry Bluff (8 page)

Bryce laughed again. “Now, that would give away the surprise, don’t you think?”

“Just a hint,” Sadie said. “Surely you can tell us the genre.”

Bryce paused, smiling first at Sadie and then at Susie. “Actually, it’s a mystery. It involves international espionage, government conspiracy, that kind of thing.”

“How intriguing,” Sadie said. “I’ve never been able to follow that kind of story. But I’ll certainly read yours when it comes out. How soon do you think that will be?”

“It’ll be awhile,” Bryce said. “I’m still doing some research. Government conspiracies are complicated, you know.”

“I wouldn’t know. All that top secret stuff is beyond me,” Susie said, flashing another smile. “Sounds like just trying to figure out what the mystery is can be a mystery in itself.”

“Yes, it’s something like that.” Bryce gestured towards the main table. “More wine, ladies?”

“Not for me, thanks,” Sadie said.

“And none for me, either, thank you,” Susie added, setting her wine glass down and standing up. “I’ll save it for dinner. Dan’s taking me to a fabulous place called Ocean. He’s like that, always treating me to the best in life.” She paused and sighed, placing one hand over her heart. “It’s such a miracle, finding a man who’s not afraid to make a commitment.”

“As I said, a lucky man,” Bryce sipped his wine without breaking eye contact with Susie.

“Oh, I’m the lucky one,” Susie added, extending her hand towards Bryce. “It was nice to meet you. Maybe we’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”

“I look forward to that,” Bryce said, shaking her hand firmly. A little too firmly, Sadie wondered, watching Susie pull her hand from his grasp. Waving with a beauty queen flourish, she left the room.

“You two seemed to really hit it off.” Sadie smiled as she stood up. “It’s a shame she’s married. But don’t you worry. There are plenty of girls out there just waiting to give you a run for the money.”

“Ah, yes, Sadie, how right you are,” Bryce said. “Some are out to do just that. Maybe even closer than you think.”

Susie grabbed her cigarettes and stormed out of the barn suite and around the back of the building. She’d never been so frustrated in her life. She lit up a cigarette and leaned against the back wall. Who cared if anyone saw her break character? At this point, her honeymoon was ruined – fake or not.

What the hell was
he
doing here? He didn’t work these money-chasing cases. Skirt chasing, maybe, but his eyes were never on the dollar signs. And the tiny town of Cranberry Cove was a far cry from the locations he preferred. Paris, yes. Rome, yes. Small Town America? No! If he ended up in a dinky hamlet like the one he was in now, it was by mistake.

The name Bryce Winslow had a nice ring to it, anyway. She had to give him credit for that. It was one of the better names he’d used. Maybe it was even his real name. It had a touch of arrogance to it, which matched his personality perfectly. He could add a middle name to it or the initials “III” at the end. Or both, for that matter, just to spice it up.

“Well, well, what a pleasant surprise.” The deep voice came from the corner of the building. Susie didn’t even bother to look over. She knew the grin that would be accompanying the greeting and had no desire to see it.

“I can’t say the same,” she said. She extended the cigarette pack out to the side, her arm outstretched, her eyes still facing straight ahead.

“No, thanks,” Bryce said. “I gave that up years ago.”

In spite of herself, Susie laughed. “Right, what about in Madrid?”

“Part of the role,” he said.

“Rio?”

“Tobacco field bust…”

“Moscow?”

“Too cold to not have something to do with my hands…”

“As if that was ever a problem for you,” Susie laughed.

“You’re still mad at me, I take it.”

“Really?” Susie exclaimed. “Whatever gives you that idea?”

“Holding grudges isn’t attractive on you, my dear,” Bryce countered. “You should let go and enjoy the world of newlywed bliss.”

“Oh, please,” Susie said, “you know I’m not the marrying kind.”

“No, I suppose you’re not.” Bryce laughed. His voice came closer. Susie shifted positions to avoid him, saying nothing.

“So tell me,” Bryce continued. “Who is your current faux hubby? Please don’t tell me it’s that guy from St. Louis…what’s his name…Dan Patterson?”

Susie remained silent.

“Ah, so I’m right on the first guess.” Bryce’s voice was smug. “You hate working with that little weasel. The money must be really good this time.”

“It’s good enough,” Susie said.

“Let’s see,” Bryce said. “Dan Patterson works on percentage, if I recall. I bet he offered you 50 percent.” He waited for Susie’s response. When he didn’t get one, he went on. “Oh, maybe we better make that 55 percent or even 60 percent? He’s getting more desperate to spend time with you. How flattering.”

“Shut up.” Susie tossed down her cigarette butt and ground it out.

“Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I think this trip is going to bring you nothing but the joy of fending off Dan’s advances,” Bryce said. “There’s no money here.”

“Of course there’s money here,” Susie snapped. “A lot of it, too. That little mouse of an innkeeper wouldn’t know how to spend good money if it accidentally fell out of her pockets onto the counter at Tiffany’s. It’s here, all right. And I plan to find it.”

“I don’t think so. My hunch is that you’re on a wild goose chase,” Bryce said.

Susie laughed. “And just what makes you think that?”

“Because she’s innocent,” Bryce said.

“You must be kidding,” Susie exclaimed. “You just want me to think I’m holed up in this town suffering Dan’s shenanigans for no reason. You’re jealous – that’s it. I’m not falling for it.”

“Suit yourself.” Bryce said, ignoring the personal reference. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you walk away empty handed.”

“And what about you,” Susie pointed out. “If this girl is innocent, you have no one to take back with you. You’re wasting just as much time as I am, in that case.”

“Oh, I’ll find the right person eventually,” Bryce said. “I just don’t think this innkeeper is going to be that person.”

“Well, if you’re right and there’s money involved, clue me in when you find out. At least that way my whole trip here won’t have been in vain. Now I have to contend with both you and Dan, which is a nightmare.”

“Sorry to make your life so miserable,” Bryce said.

“You give yourself too much credit,” Susie smirked.

“Whatever you say, Mrs. Patterson,” Bryce laughed. “Enjoy your honeymoon. See you at breakfast – that is, if you lovebirds don’t oversleep.”

Susie rolled her eyes and trudged back to the suite, taking a wide circle of steps around Bryce, in case he had a sudden Moscow-related urge to keep his hands warm.

Bryce refilled his wine glass and went up to his room, locking the door behind him. The talk with Susie had left him unsettled. Sure, they had a past. The Moscow job had been complicated, tracking down a ring of counterfeiters. With more than one person to bring in and the obvious lure of a money trail, the guy who’d hired him for that job had recommended an assistant, one in particular who had a nose for tracking money. He hadn’t objected. It wasn’t going to cost him anything and would probably lead him to finding the people involved in the ring sooner.

Susie, under the name Sonja at that time, had arrived on a train from Romania. Even without the red hat and scarf that served as a recognition code, he would have noticed her. A brunette at the time – he wasn’t sure how he felt about the current blonde rendition – Sonja would have stood out in any crowd. She was a waif of a girl at first sight, light and fragile. It should have been his first clue that she was a pro at disguises, but what did he know at that time? He was blinded. A beautiful young woman had just stepped off a train from Romania, that was all he knew. And she was his for the duration of the assignment.

It had been cold, the January air bone chilling. Moscow was beautiful in the winter, but not as stunning as Sonja. The ice outside disappeared whenever they were inside the hotel. Of course, the plush suite, lush carpeting and satin sheets all helped. He hated to imagine how many bottles of champagne and brandy they went through during that job.

That was before he figured out that their motives in the case were different. For Bryce, it had always been about justice, bringing the guilty party in. Never vindictive, he simply believed people needed to be held responsible for their actions, whether legal or ethical. On that particular job, the counterfeiters all deserved to be caught. That was the reason he was there.

Sonja had other intentions, though it took him a few weeks to wise up. Looking back, he could see that each time he started to get close to figuring out her game, she maneuvered him in another direction. It might have been a complicated tip that she had on the whereabouts of one of the ring members or something as simple as a lace negligee. But she managed to distract him any way she could.

By the time he realized she was after the ring’s money, real or not, he was already under her spell. It took a major confrontation over the ethics they both lived by before the truth hit him. She chased money, not criminals. She was a gold-digger of the detective variety. He was a smart man. He backed away quickly.

Sonja’s reaction had not been pleasant. She accused him of lying and using her. How could he have resisted, anyway? She was good at what she did, a true chameleon. It was a shame they weren’t on the same side. Meanwhile, he suffered through the rest of the assignment under her overbearing, spiteful guard. He had suspected she didn’t get over it then. Now he knew for certain.

This posed a problem; they had opposite goals. He wanted to find evidence of Molly’s innocence, and Susie wanted her guilty, simply for the sake of finding the money. Susie wasn’t going to be any help this time, and she might even block his success. If he were a different man, she might have proved a distraction, especially with their history from Moscow. But he wasn’t. The fling with her had been one thing when he thought she had admirable motives. However, when he realized she’d been deceitful, he lost his trust in her. Lack of trust destroyed relationships. And, in the detective arena, it wasn’t just dangerous; it could be deadly. And here she was in Cranberry Cove. He was certain she was not to be trusted.

Sadie put on a new layer of lipstick and blotted it with a tissue. She leaned in toward the dresser mirror in her room to inspect the final look. Approving, she put on a jacket and walked the few blocks to Eleanor’s for something to eat.

What an odd interaction she had witnessed between Susie and Bryce. Was this how the younger generations greeted each other now? Why, in her day, people would be on their best behavior during introductions, not fall into repartee as if they’d known each other forever. There were guidelines, whether spoken or unspoken, as to how introductions should be given and received. Those dictated politeness, especially when meeting in front of other people. Susie and Bryce had been polite to each other, but the whole conversation had seemed tense. It didn’t make sense.

Unless…no, that made even less sense. How could they possibly have known each other before? And, an even better question: If so, why would they have tried to hide it?

Sadie stepped into Eleanor’s and looked around. It was crowded, but she saw an open table in the corner. She crossed the room and grabbed it immediately.

Sadie smiled at the young server who approached. She was soft spoken and dressed in a casual style that fit the northern coastal area. Her earrings, made of polished driftwood and beads, swayed as she handed Sadie a menu.

“Dinner for one?”

“Yes,” Sadie said. “One it is.”

“Everything on the menu is good. Our soup of the day is cranberry wild rice, which is served with cranberry cornbread and honey butter. There’s also a special entrée tonight: Fettuccine with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and pine nuts in a pesto sauce.”

“You’re just making it harder to choose, you know,” Sadie said.

“How about a glass of wine to get started?”

A busser passed by, filling a water glass and removing a second place setting on the opposite side of the table.

“Thanks, but no. I just had wine back at the inn where I’m staying this weekend,” Sadie said. “I’ll stick with water and then have coffee after dinner. Or maybe cappuccino – we’ll see.”

“We have so many wonderful inns in this town,” the server replied. “Where are you staying?”

“You’re right, Cranberry Cove has so many fabulous places. I try to stay at different inns when I come here. This time I’m at Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast. It’s delightful.”

“The one that changed ownership recently. The last owner passed away, used to come here a lot. We miss her,” the server said. “I haven’t gotten to know the new owner well. She’s been here a few times, but keeps to herself. Quiet type, I figure.”

“Yes, she seems to be.”
I imagine she would be
, Sadie thought to herself. “By the way, is Eleanor here tonight? I’d love to say hi to her.”

“Yes, she’s in the kitchen. I’ll send her out. And I’ll give you a few minutes to look over the menu.”

“No, that’s fine,” Sadie said before the server could turn away. “I’ll have the pasta special. It sounds delicious and I’ve been good about carbs on this trip.”
Aside from the brie bites at the inn. And the scones that morning. And a few cranberry white chocolate bars she’d downed the night before….

“Good choice,” the server said, taking the menu and heading to the kitchen to place the order.

Sadie looked around the room as she sipped her water. The décor was more artsy than representative of the ocean, which was refreshing. Light coral walls blended well with watercolor paintings of gardens and cottages. Eleanor’s could have fit in anywhere. Santa Fe, for example, had many similar cafés. Larger cities like New York or Seattle did, as well. Often they were found in the hipper sections of town. College students and young professionals frequented them for their combination of good food and casual atmosphere. Sadie found this ambiance comfortable and sought out such places on every trip.

A basket landed on the table. Sadie tore a partially sliced piece of olive bread from a baguette style roll. Taking a bite, she returned to mulling over her thoughts about Susie and Bryce.

Was she imagining a connection? After all, Susie was newly married. Surely she hadn’t been flirting with Bryce. Now, Bryce flirting was another matter altogether. Men like that – handsome, self-assured – invariably flirted when an attractive lady was around. But it seemed out of place for Susie. Maybe Sadie was being too judgmental, but her instincts were usually right. That conversation had been strange. On the surface, Bryce and Susie appeared to be meeting for the first time, but the undercurrent whispered familiarity.

What was it Bryce said he did? He was working on a novel. Odd that he hadn’t mentioned that when Sadie first met him, though no one had asked what he did. Not until Susie did.

Susie had definitely seemed … rattled? Her behavior around Bryce was entirely different from when they’d shopped together. It was as if … yes, that was it. Bryce had been happy, though a little surprised, to meet Susie. But Susie had not been happy to meet Bryce. The tension had been apparent in her over-the-top enthusiasm.

“Why, if it isn’t Sadie from San Francisco!” Eleanor broke Sadie’s train of thought. “How have you been?” Eleanor dropped down into the seat across from Sadie, her thin, strong frame filling only a portion of the chair.

“Eleanor, good to see you,” Sadie said. “Your place is as busy as ever – not surprising, with food this good. How you manage to keep that youthful figure of yours is beyond me.”

“I don’t let myself sample my own dessert menu.” Eleanor laughed. “Though I did taste test a cranberry cobbler last night.”

“And you’re still running, I’ll bet,” Sadie added, shaking her head in awe. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Five miles every morning. As soon as Casey heads to the hardware store, I hit the trails down by the bluff. Clears my head and gets me ready for the work day.”

Sadie studied Eleanor’s gray French braid and makeup-free face with envy. In her next life, she would ask for a high metabolism and natural beauty. And a good old down-to-earth husband like Casey, too. Between Eleanor’s restaurant and Casey’s store, the couple had created a good life.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Eleanor prodded. “How’ve you been? Last I knew you were headed off to some small town on one of your explorations.”

Sadie smiled. She always gave Eleanor enough details to keep her entertained, but not enough to divulge the real purpose for her trips.

“Well, you know I love to travel,” Sadie laughed. “San Francisco starts to stifle me if I never get away.”

“I can imagine,” Eleanor said. “You wouldn’t find me living in a big city, especially one with steep hills and narrow streets. Cranberry Cove is my speed.” She paused as a server set a glass of water down in front of her. “And how’s your boutique doing?”

“Busy,” Sadie said. “We always have customers looking for a trinket or two – either for gifts or treats for themselves if they have some extra money to spend.”

“Where are you staying this time?” Eleanor asked.

“Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast,” Sadie replied. “The former owner’s niece is now running the place, doing a good job, too.”

Eleanor nodded. “Yes, Molly. I’ve met her a few times. I miss Maggie, but Molly seems to be stepping up to the task. I’m sure it’s a big change for her after living in Florida. Isn’t that where she’s from?”

“Yes, Tallahassee,” Sadie said.

“Well, she fits right in Cranberry Cove. Quiet, but smiles at anyone she meets in town.” Eleanor twisted her head to survey the restaurant. Convinced all customers were being cared for, she turned back to Sadie.

“Any other guests there this week?”

“Just a few. An odd little businessman who keeps to himself and a handsome novelist who seems to have eyes for Molly,” Sadie laughed. “Oh, and that newlywed couple. They had dinner here yesterday. They recommended the stuffed mushrooms highly, and I simply must try them before I leave.”

Eleanor looked puzzled. “Newlyweds? I haven’t seen anyone like that in here lately. And I was here last night. Even waited on a few tables myself. We were shorthanded.”

“Young, twenty-somethings? Pretty, blonde girl and a man about her age, maybe a few years older?”

“Oh, those two?” Eleanor said. “I wouldn’t have guessed they were newlyweds. Hate to see a marriage start off with that much whispered bickering. I figured them for brother and sister, maybe. Or tourists who’d been traveling together too long,”

Sadie paused, mulling over Eleanor’s description of Susie and Dan. It only confirmed her suspicions that something was off.

Seeing a line building up by the front door, Eleanor excused herself to help seat arriving customers. Sadie took another sip of water and ran the whole encounter between Susie and Bryce over in her mind again. What was the link that she wasn’t seeing? If they knew each other, why not say so in front of Sadie? Was it that they didn’t want Susie’s new husband to know about a past affair? Or was it something more?

As the server slid the plate of steaming pasta in front of Sadie, it clicked. The idea that Binky might put other people on the same case came floating back to her. No, that couldn’t be right, could it? Had more than one detective keyed in on Molly at the same time? Wait, make that three, considering that Bryce and Susie hadn’t arrived together and clearly hadn’t expected to see each other.

Sadie caught the server as she turned away from the table, calling her back.

“I think I’ll have a glass of wine after all,” she said.